Dennis Allen says Raiders preparing as if Terrelle Pryor and Matt Flynn will be start against Redskins

ALAMEDA — Quarterback Terrelle Pryor seems intent upon a quick return from the concussion he suffered, based on a series of Tweets he fired off Tuesday morning.

Coach Dennis Allen isn't quite ready to make such a bold statement.

"I'm ready to go," Pryor said via Twitter. He also said, "I feel great, by the way. Thanks for the concern. Go Raiders!"

Regardless how Pryor feels, he isn't allowed to practice or play in a game again until he passes the league-mandated protocol for players that suffered a concussion, as Pryor did Monday night late in a 37-21 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Allen said Tuesday that the Raiders will prepare their game plan for the Washington Redskins on Sunday as if Pryor and Matt Flynn are starting.

Pryor's first Tweet on Tuesday made it sound as if he has a ways to go before he gets cleared by team doctors.

"Sorry about the loss Raider Nation," Pryor said. "I don't remember much! Good hit by whoever it was. I heard our team fought well. We will be back."

Pryor was unavailable for comment Tuesday because he and his teammates received the day off.

The Raiders practice Wednesday. If Pryor hasn't been cleared by that time, Flynn will get the reps with the first-team offense. He relieved Pryor against the Broncos and made his Raiders regular-season debut.

Pryor got hit in the facemask with the helmet of Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard on a called quarterback run.

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Allen said he didn't see anything illegal about Woodyard's hit. He also said that the jarring blow won't affect the play-calling from here on out.

"If you're going to put him in there, you have to play the game, you have to call the game that gives him the best chance to have success," Allen said. "I don't have any problem with what we did. It's unfortunate that he took the hit. But we have to move on from it."

Backup fullback Jamize Olawale on Tuesday underwent an MRI to determine the extent of the ankle injury he suffered against the Broncos. The results won't be revealed until Wednesday.

Cornerback Tracy Porter also suffered a concussion against the Broncos. Allen said Porter's status for the Redskins game is uncertain until he gets cleared by team doctors.

It was hoped that the switch from a zone-blocking scheme to a power-blocking scheme would help running back Darren McFadden regain the form he showed in 2010 and '11, when he averaged more than 5 yards per carry.

Yet, through three games this season, not much has changed. He averaged 3.9 yards, a modest improvement over the career-worst 3.3 he posted last season.

"We have to continue to look for ways that we can get Darren the football and get him some space that he can run the ball in," Allen said.

Allen fired offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and offensive line coach Frank Pollack, in part, because of their failure to succeed with the zone-blocking scheme.

However, consider that McFadden averaged 27 yards on four of his 19 carries against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 15 but only 1.77 yards on his 44 other carries this season.

In some ways, the Raiders defense is much improved this season. Yet, there are signs that there's still plenty of work to do for defensive coordinator Jason Tarver.

Opposing quarterbacks completed 76.5 percent of their passes against the Raiders the first three games, by far the highest figure. Also, quarterbacks own a gaudy 120.0 passer rating.

Fortunately for the Raiders offense, the Redskins aren't much better right now. Their defense is last with a 120.1 passer rating allowed and 28th in completion percentage at 67.9.

Allen said tight end David Ausberry got placed on season-ending injured reserve because his shoulder was slow to heal.

"He didn't progress like we wanted him to," Allen said. "We were hopeful that he would be able to come back. ... We really needed the (roster) spot, so we decided to go ahead and make the move."